Secondary of Patriots no match for Steelers

[stillers4me]

Bill Belichick believed his most-seasoned cornerback wasn't worth the aggravation anymore.

The New England Patriots coach on Sunday had to be re-thinking his decision to release Leigh Bodden a few days earlier because his defense could have used the help.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger picked apart an already picked-on Patriots defense, as he methodically dismantled the patchwork secondary for a season-high 365 yards in the Steelers' 25-17 win at Heinz Field.

The Patriots had only cornerbacks Devon McCourty, Kyle Arrington, Phillip Adams and Antwaun Molden on their roster yesterday. They placed rookie cornerback Ras-I Dowling on injured reserve Saturday night.
Belichick deflected questions about the Friday release of Bodden.............

read more @ http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_764715.html

[HometownGal]

So much for Belidick* being a genius.

I absolutely loved seeing him in puss faced mode the entire game.

[venom]

To think that the Pats had 2 weeks to prepare for this game and thats what they came up with ?

[86WARD]

No match. The healthy dose of Miller to start the game was sweet!!!

[tube517]

I've always thought, if you establish Heath early, it opens up the passing game.

[kmsteelerwr15]

I love beating them at their own game.

[BnG_Hevn]

This is what I truly believe.

Without Brady knowing the defense being called, he is average QB at best. The Jets did it last year in the playoffs and the Steelers did it yesterday.

I'm by far not a football guru, so is a correct statement?

If your defense uses press / man coverage, it is more about talent of player vs player rather than scheme so doing this, for the offense to be productive they need to actually beat you.

The Pats couldn't straight up beat the Steelers and that is why they didn't do well.

Now, *if* the Pats were actually cheating in years past and they had the defensive calls, the defense playing "schemes", not man-to-man, allows for Brady to know where on the field the player will be open and therefore know where to throw the ball.

I was listening to NFL radio on Sirius this morning and the hosts were commenting on "where are all the new, young players drafted for their secondary?".

It is my belief, right or wrong, that Bellichick plays players that he thinks will conform to their cheating ways. They are not so vocal "in-house" about their tactics anymore for fear of what happened last time so they would quietly start or not start based on that.

Rodney Harrison laid out the game plan that the Steelers need to be the Pats and it was exactly what they did. Harrison would know first hand that the man-to-man press coverage eliminates Brady's ability to know what's coming.

I might be in conspiracy mode here but it seems too coincidental that when a team players a "scheme" against the Pats they get destroyed but when the play the man-to-man / press they thoroughly trounce the Pats.

The Steelers defense has not been too good all year, if Brady were Peyton Manning he would have faired much better.

[SteelerEmpire]

Here's a lil something I didn't know. The Pats are 32nd in pass defense. The Packers are 31st in pass Defense and 28th overall in total D. Wow they suck... lol.